8N with a stuck forklift attachment

Glenn D

Member
Hi Folks

I have a Ford 8N with a forklift attachment. it's been used quite a bit recently because we are cleaning up a pushed over barn so it's handy to have a forklift that can drive through anything. Recently we've had trouble with the folks coming down and I thought it was just crud in the tracks but I think not it has something to do with the hydraulics. When it first started happening we could put a little weight on the empty forks and it would free up and come down normally. yesterday though that didn't work and neither did a loader bucket full of rock. we left it parked with the down lever tied back and it came down on its own by morning the next day. Also while it was stuck I checked all the clearances on the mast and was able to rotate all the cam followers and guide bearings, everything was free.

It has 3 levers one for tilt one for side shift (these are both double acting cylinders, no issues there) The lift cylinder is also double acting but the return (down pressure) side of the cylinder has an empty hose back to the reservoir (small diameter not meant for pressure) and the down pressure side of the valve is hooked to a T on the return side of the hydraulic circuit. I don't see any sort of flow control in the system where a clog could occur but I don't really know what to look for, or where to look.
 
Check and make sure the down side hose is not clogged up because if it is that can/will cause that type of problem. Most double acting cylinders when being used as a single acting have a vent and that is probably what you have and if clogged up with dirt etc they will cause odd problems
 
You say is has a return line is it in fact clear and open both in the line and where it goes back into the tank?? Also does working the side to side and tilt do any thing to help?? You might try moving it with the return line unhooked from the cylinder. Or switch the control hook up and see if the problem follows the valve
 
(quoted from post at 16:33:04 06/14/17) You might try moving it with the return line unhooked from the cylinder. Or switch the control hook up and see if the problem follows the valve

Just blew air through the vent line. swapping the controls is a good idea. i'll have a look and see if I can do that
 
Swapping hoses can be done just may find doing so to be a real pain in the back sides LOL. Seen more then one valve body go bad in such a way it will make a cylinder go one way but not the other
 

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